Dow hits new all-time high. Again.

The Dow inched higher, adding five points, to close at an all-time high for the seventh straight day. Wednesday marked the ninth straight day of gains for the index.

It's the longest winning streak for the Dow since 1996.

The S&P 500 and Nasdaq closed up roughly 0.1%. The S&P 500 is less than 1% away from its all-time high, reached in October 2007.

Economic numbers out of Europe had dampened sentiment before the market opened. But investors seemed encouraged by a better-than-expected report on retail sales in the United States.

Doug DiPietro, head of trading at Evercore, said investors have been wary of placing big bets at these levels. But they are also worried about selling stocks too early. Tepid investors have kept volumes low this week, he said.

This year, stocks have been driven higher by signs that the economy is becoming healthier. The Federal Reserve's stimulative moves have also kept investors piling into stocks.

Apple(AAPL) shares closed up slightly, after a recent slide. Investors have been worried about slowing demand for the iPhone 5 and what Apple plans to do with its cash. The newest Galaxy phone from Apple rival Samsung is also set to be unveiled Thursday, adding to concerns about competition.

Shares of Blackberry(BBRY) soared, after the company announced that it received 1 million orders for its Blackberry 10 device from an unnamed partner. Blackberry called it the largest single order ever.